How To Go Viral On Instagram: 16 Best Tips To Grow Account

Imagine posting something on Instagram and waking up in the morning to find thousands of likes, comments, and an overwhelming number of new followers.

Some people inadvertently post content on this app without much thought or strategy regarding their Instagram posts and still manage to go viral on Instagram.

How great would it be if I told you that you can go viral on Instagram as well? Of course, I’m not going to ask you to wish upon a star. Instead, I will explain how to go viral on Instagram in the following 16 steps.

16 Tips on How to Go Viral on Instagram

Here are 16 excellent tips for increasing engagement and creating viral content.

1. Understand Your Audience

So, if you are determined to create a viral Instagram post, the first thing you should consider is whom you want to attract.

Review your Instagram analytics to see how your previous posts have performed, and also examine your viewer demographics.

You could be a content creator in comedy, cooking, skincare, or any other category. Aim to engage with the content that most effectively captures your target audience’s attention. Instagram analytics will assist you in tracking your current performance.

You should certainly adhere to your original ideas, but also experiment with your content and observe your audience’s reactions to your Instagram post.

2. Understand Your Competitors

Healthy competition never harmed anyone. Take a look at your competitors’ Instagram accounts.

Remember, only you can be yourself, and that is your superpower. However, why not explore what other creators in your niche are doing?

There are many accounts that replicate the best-performing content, but don’t be deceived—everyone can distinguish between an original idea and an imitation.

What you can do, however, is examine your competition for inspiration, perhaps from a color scheme, music, or another detail. It’s not about replicating a concept; rather, it’s about discovering inspiration to enhance your own content.

3. Identify Your Niche

Fortunately, Instagram is one of those social media platforms where a wide variety of creators can discover their own piece of cyberspace heaven.

As I mentioned earlier, experiment with your content, but aim to define your niche in the initial stages.

Are you a makeup guru? Generate viral Instagram content by sharing makeup reviews. Do you specialize in cooking video posts? Create Instagram reels and present your recipes in a fun and quirky manner.

You can choose from a wide range of niche categories. Find one that aligns with your talents and skills, and most importantly, select the one that makes you feel most comfortable so you can create the ideal viral Instagram post.

4. Monitor Instagram Trends

Have you noticed the same or similar sounds while scrolling through your Instagram reels? What you may have heard are some very popular viral sounds on Instagram.

The catch is that many people utilize a specific Instagram feature in the hopes of going viral, and this often proves effective.

When you hear a frequently repeated sound, video template, filter, or effect, save it for later.

You don’t need to create content immediately using these viral cheat codes; instead, you can save them for later or put your own spin on the saved features.

5. Define Your Brand

Who are you when no one is watching? Let’s begin with this.

Your brand and digital identity are essential—be recognizable and unique. Once you go viral, you’ll want your new followers to understand how you stand out from the crowd.

Why is this important?

Many people create viral Instagram content, but it often does not remain relevant for long. It’s akin to producing a one-hit wonder and then returning to average content.

Once your content performs exceptionally well, ensure that people recognize your true value and sustain this newfound engagement.

6. Use Relevant Hashtags

Instagram hashtags can significantly enhance your growth. When used correctly, they can influence the Instagram algorithm and help you gain a thousand followers in just moments.

Utilizing specific and relevant hashtags can significantly increase your chances of going viral on Instagram.

A definite no-go would be banned hashtags. Using them could lead to the opposite of going viral—you might end up getting shadow-banned, meaning you would be invisible to most users.

7. Engage With Other Posts

Many Instagram users will attempt various strategies to drive traffic to their viral content, yet they often neglect to engage with other accounts that share similar or identical content.

The phrase “the more you give, the more you get” may seem unusual in this context, but it is one effective way to enhance your follower count and potentially go viral on Instagram and other social media platforms.

You may have a specific intent to create viral content, but consider liking, commenting, and driving traffic to another Instagram account.

8. Engage with Other Creators

Whether it’s about responding to other users’ Instagram posts or stories, engaging in this way benefits your social media presence as well as your real-life relationships with other creators.

Having a unique and creative voice to express your ideas is important, but how about enhancing engagement by interacting with other Instagram creators on your feed?

Your viral post may necessitate creating content that features other users. Politely request the other user for an Instagram collab. Produce photo content using the same merchandise or stitch together video content. Create your segment of the video and allow the other creator to produce theirs, then combine them or create a mash-up.

Introduce other creators to your current followers while gaining access to a new potential target audience. Viral Instagram content becomes achievable with a larger pool of viewers.

9. Determine the Optimal Time to Post

Often, it ultimately comes down to identifying the best time to post on Instagram.

Creating viral Instagram content can lead to significant popularity across the entire app, but it can also involve sharing a viral video specific to your area or region.

There are no fixed rules for determining the best posting times. However, it is important to consider where you post and who is viewing your content on their explore feed.

10. Be Consistent

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy; however, creating a schedule for your posts and consistently adhering to it will enhance engagement and increase the likelihood of producing viral Instagram content.

Even if your posts don’t go viral on Instagram immediately, maintain your posting schedule.

Choose the days on which you want to post short videos or photo content. Adhere to your chosen schedule and publish your posts punctually.

This will effectively influence the algorithm to help you gain followers, and you may eventually go viral on Instagram.

11. Recreate Viral Posts

Have you ever seen an amazing viral post and thought, “I could do that, but even better!”?

I’m here to encourage you to take the plunge if you want to give it a shot. Make it similar, but also add your personal touch. You don’t want to come across as a dull copycat.

This approach involves making slight alterations to many viral sounds in the hopes of creating new viral music tracks.

12. Create a Contest or Giveaway

Don’t forget to celebrate your current followers. Did you know you can enhance engagement by organizing a giveaway?

Simply ask the contestants to like and share specific posts and tag their friends; this way, you can gain even more followers!

Milestones in your follower count should be celebrated, so give back to the community you aim to build.

Feel free to give it a try; this is a great opportunity, and you may be surprised by the results.

13. Create Sponsored Posts

Sponsored content on Instagram and other platforms is the fastest way to gain exposure on someone else’s explore page or Instagram story.

Here, you can essentially pay Instagram and select the demographic you wish to target.

This does not guarantee going viral on its own, as many ads are not solely related to unique users but also to brands that want their ads displayed across their social media channels.

14. Use Captions

Captions can provide additional details about your video, such as informing your viewers about the location of breathtaking scenery.

When it comes to viral videos, captions should be utilized in a particular manner.

Practice writing very short and concise captions. However, if you are creating a heartfelt video about something significant in your life, feel free to write that longer caption.

For viral videos, the guideline is to keep them short and engaging. Alternatively, you can include a light-hearted joke and an emoji.

15. Make Your Sound

Viral sounds on Instagram are frequently regarded as the most relatable. If you feel confident enough to express your thoughts, you might appreciate this.

Rather than relying on an already viral sound, why not create a joke, make a sarcastic remark, or offer some form of inspirational advice to Instagram users?

Simply record a video without any pre-recorded sound. This approach is often perceived as amusing or relatable by many, and et voilà – that’s one way to go viral on Instagram!

16. Discover Your Unique Voice

It makes sense to say that spontaneous and unexpected moments captured at the right time often provide the best material for creating viral content.

It doesn’t have to be strictly within your niche; it can be something funny, unusual, shocking, or quirky that relates to both your niche and your Instagram persona.

Sometimes, a little creative push and being unapologetically yourself can quickly expose you to a large audience.

What Type of Content Goes Viral?

The type of content with the greatest potential to become viral on Instagram can capture the audience’s attention in an instant.

This content emphasizes short-form videos, primarily featuring 7-second clips paired with viral sounds and effects.

If you want to discuss something in your video and achieve viral success, aim to keep it as concise as possible.

Pro-tip: eliminate the non-speaking silent parts, essentially removing the moments when you take a breath. Aim to make it sound as if you’re speaking continuously.

Comedy Sketch

A comedy sketch is quite versatile, as it can fit into various niche categories. Enhance your account with entertaining videos, engage with the camera, and share some jokes. This approach has the potential to go viral as well.

Inspirational Videos

A brief and straightforward quote can brighten someone’s day. While many people enjoy seeing quotes in a post, why not enhance the experience and create viral content by recording a voice-over instead?

Create a compilation of your favorite nostalgic videos and record a voice-over where you read a beautiful quote. You may also share your own insights.

Advice and Tips

Do you have any random life hacks that have made your life easier, and you’re often surprised by how much they can help a friend?

Sharing advice, tips, and life hacks is a fantastic way to go viral because it’s something that followers not only enjoy but may also need. Many people will stop scrolling, watch it, and possibly save it for later.

Conclusion

Create viral Instagram content to explore a completely new aspect of Instagram and reveal your true colors.

Go viral by sharing reels that pique your audience’s curiosity, while always staying updated on the latest trending Instagram features.

Going viral on Instagram with individual posts is an incredible feeling, but it’s important to look beyond that. Aim to create a digital portrait of yourself on Instagram that can remain relevant long after the viral video content fades.

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